


Cathexis

by clover71



Category: Active Raid - 機動強襲室第八係 | Active Raid: Kidou Kyoushuushitsu Daihachigakari
Genre: Fuck Or Die, M/M, Men Being Stupid, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:21:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23759776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clover71/pseuds/clover71
Summary: Apparently, pursuing Sena Souichirou is harder than getting back from that space mission but Takeru is all for the challenge.(Written in 2018 so this post is backdated, archiving in 2020 when no one probably reads fics for this fandom anymore).
Relationships: Kuroki Takeru/Sena Souichirou
Kudos: 10





	Cathexis

**Author's Note:**

> \- This is my second entry for Small Fandoms Bigbang Round 7. I wrote this 2 years ago and has been sitting in my LiveJournal fanfic account since then. I wasn't too confident to post it here because I didn't like how I plotted it but oh well, it's an old fandom and no one will probably read this.  
> .  
> .  
>  **Disclaimer** : I do not own Active Raid and its characters. Copyright remains with Production IMS.  
> .  
> .

.  
With Hachijou a.k.a. Bird in government's custody, Souichirou expects peace and order to reign over Tokyo for at least a month. But barely a couple of weeks after the space elevator fiasco (and almost losing Kuroki Takeru at that), he's recalled from Senars and is now at Unit 8 office reviewing the reports of the most recent willwear-related incident.

"I'm sorry you're dragged back into this, Sena-kun," Haruka says as she passes by his work area. "I've heard you were planning to go on vacation."

"That can wait." Souichirou knows his priorities, regardless if he's just technically a civilian participant. So vacation will indeed have to wait. It's a good thing he hasn't made reservations yet. Something he immediately regrets the moment the door slides open and Takeru breezes in. Souichirou curses the way his heartbeat starts to pick up pace. He keeps his eyes glued on his laptop screen even though the letters and images start to blur.

"You've been avoiding me," comes in a low purr against Souichirou's ear which makes his hackles rise. The room tilts for a moment when he catches a whiff of Takeru's cologne, something that's been burned into his memory – particularly memory of that night at the party celebrating Takeru's return from space and the mission he' had successfully accomplished – the night Takeru kissed him. 

"Why would I do that?" he says, belatedly realizing that he sounds a wee bit defensive. 

"Then why haven't I seen you around for the past couple of weeks?" Takeru slides on the chair next to his and sets his laptop on the table. 

"I uh… I've been busy at Senars, of course." The lie tastes bitter on Souichirou's tongue.

"Why haven't you been answering my calls then? Or why weren't you responding to my text messages?" Takeru practically breathes all that against the side of his face, the proximity making Souichirou a bit lightheaded.

"I told you. I've been busy," Souichirou spits out but not in the venomous tone he intends. Seriously, Takeru just can't take the hint.

"Busy, my ass. Don't tell me. You've been collecting trash twice as much?" The last word is spoken with a raised inflection as if it's meant to be a question laced with sarcasm. 

Before Soucihriou can throw back something in his defense, Yamabuki Rin storms into their work area, eyes searching until it lands on them.

"Sena-kun, Kuroki-kun. Just the people I need to see," she says and then beckons them over to her office. "I need to speak with you."

Funasaka is already waiting inside, papers in hand. 

"What's going on?" Kuroki asks, closing the door behind him. 

"We've got a lead on those unmanned willwears that have recently torn through the streets of Shinjuku area," Funasaka explains and hands the papers to Kuroki. "We've traced the origin of signals connected to the two willwears with the help of Madoka-san, which led us to a web programmer who apparently have told us that he was only hired through the internet. Further investigation had led us to believe the mastermind behind all these chaos is the man running an underground club called Dreamscape."

"It's a very private club, the kind that lets you in only if you have an invitation," Rin adds. "I'm sure Mythos will be able to hack into their system to get us a couple but…."

"But?" Souichirou prompts when there's a long pause. 

"We hear the club is exclusively for men. Young men, to be specific," Rin says, regarding them both with caution. 

"So you want me and Sena to go in there, infiltrate the suspected mastermind's hideout and gather evidences?" Takeru supplies, handing the papers back to Rin.

"That just about sums it up," Rin says with a smile that's obviously forced. 

Souchirou had this gut instinct that there's something Rin is not telling them, but this is a mission and he's willing to take it. Besides, he can't possibly let Takeru go there by himself. The last time he went out investigating on his own had almost cost him his life.

"I'm in," Souichirou says then he turns to Takeru. "Do you think Mythos will be able to get us an invitation?"

"This is a piece of cake for him," Takeru says in assurance. "I'll let you know once he does."

They've gone over the case and Rin gives them a proper briefing on what potential evidences they may find once they're able to sneak into the mastermind's lair. As soon as the impromptu meeting is adjourned, Souichirou hurries out of Rin's office to turn off his laptop, already planning to head out for lunch. 

But Takeru corners him, says, "We're not done talking, Sena," and his face is devoid of the usual mirth and taunting. Instead, he looks rather serious, which makes Souichirou's heart pulsate. 

Quite defensively, Souichirou says, "There's nothing to talk about, Kuroki," then tries to sidestep him but Takeru grabs his arm. The grip isn't too tight but it does speak volumes on how Takeru refuses to let him leave. "Fine. I'm heading out for lunch, if you want to join me." 

A smile takes shape on Takeru's lips. "I'd like that," he says then follows Souichirou out of the office. 

They're in the elevator when Souichirou asks, "Where would you like to go?" while tapping on his phone just to have an excuse not to look at Takeru. "I was planning on having something light, a sandwich at the deli a block away."

"That's fine with me." Takeru pulls out a handkerchief from his pocket, takes his glasses off, and wipes the lenses then pushes it back on his face before stepping out of the lift. "Should we take my jeep?"

Souichirou is not in the mood to argue. All he wants is to grab something to eat then he can go on for the rest of the day so he says, "It's fine," and meanders through the parking lot with Takeru.

The drive to the deli is quiet. They agree to pick up some sandwiches and take it with them. Takeru says he knows a cool outdoor spot where they can have lunch. He also insists on paying for Souichiriou's sandwich and drink, despite Souichirou's protest. Then Takeru drives them close the city's border and up on a hill that actually overlooks part of the city. It's quiet there, a perfect place to talk.

"About what happened at the party," Takeru starts, shifting from the driver's side to face him. 

"I'd rather not talk about it." Souichirou really, really wants to avoid talking about that night, but he has no choice now, nowhere to run. He has actually fallen into Takeru's trap.

"I'd rather we do." The determination framing Takeru's face puts a crack on Souichirou's resolve. "Look, Sena. I didn't kiss you on a whim. And I wasn't drunk when I did it."

"Don't tell me you did it because you like me," Souichirou says, knowing the probability of that happening is close to nil. 

But Takeru doesn't respond right away. He just stares at Souichirou as if he's trying to drill a hole on his forehead. Then he sighs, says, "You really are dense, Sena," and rests his head on the seat's backrest.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, it hits him. When Takeru was in space on the brink of sacrificing himself, he did say something about Souichirou being dense. But dense about what? Before Souichirou can ask though, a cacophony of indistinct musical instruments bursts from Takeru's phone. 

Takeru's quick to answer the call and barely a minute after, he tells Souichirou, "There's another illegal willwear sighting in Minato of all places. It's heading off to Roppongi."

Souichirou gathers the sandwich wrappers and empty cans and stuffs them in the paper bag while saying, "And we have permission to apprehend?" 

"Apparently. With a warning to be careful not to destroy any of the establishments in the area," Takeru says, backing his jeep out of the clearing and soon, they're cruising down the street heading off to their headquarters.

*

It is past three in the morning and Takeru's not too surprised to see Mythos in the kitchen, still tapping away on his laptop. Once he gives the kid a mission, he is always dedicated to accomplish the task. 

"Any luck?" Takeru asks as he pulls the fridge door open and grabs a bottle of oolong tea. 

Mythos doesn't answer right away, eyes trained on the screen. After a couple of minutes or so, he draws his hands away from the keyboard, meets Takeru's gaze and says, "It's done. Not as hard as we feared."

"Done? By done, you mean you're able to get passes to the club?" Takeru shouldn't be surprised. The kid is one hell of a hacker after all.

"I created a dummy email for you." Mythos takes a piece of paper from the stack of notepads beside him and scribbles something on it. Then he hands it to Takeru, says, "These are the details. The invitation codes for you and Sena-san and everything else you might need. But."

Takeru studies the codes. They're pretty easy to remember. Then he realizes Mythos has stopped talking. "But what?"

Mythos looks hesitant. "Do you even know what kind of club it is?" he asks quite cautiously as if he's about to spill a very dark secret.

"Why? What kind of club is it?" With all kinds of situations Takeru has faced for the past years, he's pretty sure nothing will shock him anymore. 

But when Mythos says, "It's a sex club. To be specific, a gay sex show club," Takeru is floored. Not because he's not aware of its existence. There are so many underground activities to name off not just in one hand, but what baffles him is the thought that he and Souichirou will be infiltrating a gay sex show club, not to raid it because that isn't their mission, but to gather intelligence which can actually involve mingling with its patrons. "Are you okay?"

Takeru blinks at his adoptive brother and says, "Yeah, I'm good. Listen, Jirou. I'd appreciate it if you keep this, I mean the part about what club it is between you and me. Don't let Sena know, okay?" 

Mythos watches him like he's a criminal conspiring him on a serious crime. Then his lips twitch and a knowing smile appears. "Of course. But if I may offer a friendly advice," he says, sounding like he's the adult in the room and Takeru is a delinquent kid. "Tell Sena-san how you feel rather than taking advantage of him in a situation where he doesn't have a choice."

"I did try. But that man's head is as thick as a limestone. He's totally obtuse," Takeru complains. 

Mythos raises an eyebrow and he looks rather skeptical when he asks, "You. Told Sena-san that you like him?"

"Well, not exactly." Takeru scratches the bottom of his nose with a finger. "I told him I didn't kiss him at the party that night for no reason."

"And?" The skepticism defining Mythos features increases ten-fold.

"And what? Do I need to spell it out to him?" 

Mythos shakes his head. "Sometimes I don't know how your brain works." He turns off his laptop and pushes himself off the chair. "I'm gonna head to bed."

"Okay. Thanks Jirou. Good night." Takeru makes a mental note to bring him some of his favorite pastries tomorrow.

When he gets to the office the next day, the first thing he does is tell Rin that the plan to infiltrate the club is all set. So Rin calls for Souichirou the moment he steps into the office and informs him that they will be going to the club that weekend. 

"Is there a dress code I should be aware of?" is surprisingly Souichirou's initial concern.

"Just the usual dress pants and dress shirt you wear when we go out on functions," Takeru suggests. Oh, this is going to be fun.

*

His doorbell buzzes just ten minutes after receiving a text message from Takeru telling him that he's on his way. Souichirou checks his hair in the mirror before proceeding to the door. They've agreed to take his car since it's more inconspicuous than Takeru's jeep. 

When they get to Roppongi, the district is bathed in bright lights. It's true that it does come alive at night. Takeru spouts out some directions until they get to a nondescript street with a few cars parked. 

"This must be it." Takeru checks his phone. "Yup. This is the place. We need to park here, Sena. The entrance is through that alley," he says, pointing at a partially dark passageway. 

Souichirou does as Takeru says and finds a spot to park the car. Then they head over to the alley on foot. At the end of the narrow passage, there's a gate where two burly men stand. 

"KB0923R240," Takeru says and one of the men checks the tablet in hand. 

"He checks out," the man says and he looks at Souichirou.

"QN093R232," Souichirou says and the man checks the tablet again then nods and lets them through. 

There are a few men lingering at the doorway, watching Takeru like he's some piece of meat. Souichirou feels a twist in his chest. Takeru grabs his hand and leads him inside the building. The place is dimly lit with a large circular bar at the center. 

"Let's grab some drinks, okay?" Takeru says. 

Souichirou just nods, says, "Sure," and surveys the spacious area. There are half-circular booths that line the walls and he's quick to notice some men making out. When Takeru hands him his drink, he asks, "Kuroki, what kind of club is this exactly," in a whisper. 

"Let's stay there," Takeru says, pointing at an unoccupied booth in a far corner. "And call me Takeru while we're here." 

"I guess you can call me Souichirou," he says, sliding into the booth before Takeru. 

"Well, Jirou's not certain but he says this may be some kind of a mingling club or a…" Takeru clears his throat, leans closer until his mouth is next to Souichirou's ear. "A sex club."

"Wh-what?" Souichirou nearly bellows but he remembers his place and manages to speak in a low voice. 

"We have a job to do, Souichirou. Just play along," Takeru says, which would have prompted him to ask more questions if not for the two guys that suddenly slides into their booth.

"You're new here," the guy with the blond hair says. 

"You two want to join us in a show?" the other guy with blue-black hair asks. 

Before Souichirou can ask what show, Takeru wraps an arm over his shoulders and says, "Sorry, but we're exclusive." 

The blond-haired guy tutted, says, "Too bad, I would've liked to taste you," to Takeru in particular which irks Souichirou for some reason, making his chest twist in ways he isn't familiar with. 

"Well, if you change your mind, let us know. We'll just be around." The blue-black-haired guy is the first one to leave their booth then slides into the one next to theirs. 

"What exactly is this show he was talking about?" Souichirou asks through gritted teeth. There's something Takeru isn't telling him and it's starting to get on his nerves. 

Takeru downs his drink. "I don't know but we're here to investigate. Come on." 

Souichirou takes a sip of his drink, decides it is safe enough to gulp down then follows Takeru out of the booth. The place is like a maze with many hallways and doors that look rather daunting. He hasn't been to many clubs but he's pretty sure this is an unusual set up. Takeru leads him through one hallway where doors have coded security access which pretty much seems to say that unauthorized personnel aren't allowed. At the end of the hallway, there is a room hidden behind tinted glass walls and door. 

Takeru takes out a card from his wallet and swipes it through the machine attached to the wall beside the door. When the light turns green, Takeru grabs the door handle and it opens with a silent click. 

"How did you…?" Souichirou starts to ask but Takeru presses a finger on his lips.

"Jirou is pretty handy to have around," is all Takeru says, enough to explain that he had Mythos hack into the club's system before coming here. Or at least that's how Souichirou interprets it. Takeru may be a lazy boor and often does things impulsively, but he does use strategy once in a while. 

Takeru's been fumbling around the desk in the middle of the room. Not a moment too soon, the wall on the far corner starts to move and a panel slides open. "Bingo." A grin cuts across Takeru's face. "Jirou. I'm in." 

Souichirou presumes that the earring Takeru's sporting is some sort of a miniscule communication device that Mythos has created. Not wanting to bother Takeru with questions, he follows him through the opening. "Kuroki. This is…." Is all Souichirou says as he finds himself staring at a room full of electronic equipment. 

"The evidence we were hoping to find," Takeru supplies. There's a desktop computer sitting on one side of the wall where Takeru plugs in a device, says, "Jirou, are you getting this," then falls silent, presumably listening to Mythos.

Souichirou decides to keep a lookout instead so he stands by the opening, hoping no one will come in because he and Takeru will no doubt be trapped. He can't see any means of escape from the hidden room. 

It takes probably five minutes – ten – when Takeru says, "That's it. Did you get everything?" Then he unplugs the device, presses a button then lays it on the table. They watch it disintegrate. "Let's go," Takeru says, leading him out of the room. 

Everything seems easy – too easy – that Souichirou finds it rather odd. Who will leave such an important room unguarded? They trace their steps back to the main area of the club. Halfway through, they're intercepted by three men wearing black suits who all have guns aimed at them, prompting them to raise their arms in surrender. One of them has red hair, the other two have darker hair, one is shorter and the other one has long hair tied up in a pony tail.

 _I knew it wasn't going to be that easy,_ he thinks just as one of the men spoke.

"What are you doing here?" the man with long hair says. "Only authorized club personnel is allowed past this point."

"Oh, sorry," Takeru says, coughing up a laugh. He rubs the back of his neck with one hand while grabs Souichirou's hand with the other. "My boyfriend and I were looking for a private room to… you know. All the public displays of erm… lust outside turned me on so bad I…" He shrugs and flashes them a grin. "You get the picture."

"There is no private room here," the redhead says then the skin between his eyebrows wrinkle and he lowers his gun a little but still kept it pointed at them. "Hold it. You two. look familiar" His eyes narrow as he raises his gun close to Takeru's forehead. "Aren't you that police officer from Unit 8?"

Souichirou panics internally. _Shit. Of course, they'll recognize them, Kuroki, especially. He's been interviewed live on television countless times._ But he manages to remain calm, trusting that Takeru will come up with a way to get them out of this situation.

"Oh, yeah, guess you've seen me on T.V.," Takeru says with a wide smile. 

The three men drew their guns closer to Takeru, prompting him to raise both arms in surrender. "What are you doing here?" The one with shorter dark hair asked.

"Well, you see, my boyfriend and I wanted to try out something new, so a friend suggested this place. But he's a little reluctant in public displays," Takeru says with all confidence that Souichirou thinks he sounds pretty convincing.

But then two of the men press the tip of their weapons against Takeru's head and Souichirou can feel cold solid metal against his nape. "Why do we find that hard to believe?" the redhead says. 

"We can…" Takeru says, eyes slanting over to Souichirou for a split second then he takes Souichirou's hand in his again. "…do a show, if that will convince you."

 _Show? What show?_

There is a long pregnant pause and Souichirou is already formulating possible ways to get out of the fucked-up scenario when the redhead speaks again.

"Do it," he says and then gestures with his gun, as if prompting Takeru to move so Takeru, with his hand still on Souichirou's, follows the long-haired guy further down the hall and they round about two corners before finally stopping by a door. "We'll be watching," the redhead then says with a wicked grin stretched across his face.

They're pushed them into a darkened room with wall lamps glowing red. There's a bed in the middle covered in what appears to be black satin. 

"What's going on? What are we doing in here?" Souichirou asks in a voice low enough for only Takeru to hear. Hopefully.

"Shh. Just play along. We're being watched," Takeru says, facing him. Then he tugs at Souichirou's hand and starts walking backwards and Souichirou moves with him. They stop when Takeru's legs hit the bed. He dives in and captures Souichirou's lips in his. 

Souichirou knows he should push away, but he feels Takeru's strong arms snaking around his waist as he deepens the kiss and Souichirou can't help but melt into Takeru's hold. When Takeru's mouth migrated down his neck, Souichirou whispers, "What do you mean we're being watched?"

The feel of Takeru's tongue tracing a line up his neck, all the way to the back of his ears sends a tingle throughout Souichirou's body and his mind wanders so far that he almost misses Takeru saying, "This is a sex club. I've managed to convince those goons that we're here to have fun. So we either fuck or we die," against his ear.

Souichirou's mind screeches to a resounding halt. _We what?_ He's on the brink of shoving Takeru away, mission be damned, but then he feels Takeru's hand crawl beneath his shirt, touching him, leaving evey inch of his skin on fire. He's so damn aroused now that when Takeru's fingers pinch his nipple, _Fuck!_ he knows he's reached the point where turning back will be a Herculean task.

 _This is for the job,_ he tells himself but… but he knows it's not just because of the job. Maybe… maybe he wants this. Maybe… maybe he should stop denying that he wants Takeru. So he doesn't fight it when Takeru starts unbuttoning his shirt, doesn't even think twice when Takeru coaxes him to lift his hips so Takeru can slip his pants off and his mind nearly combust as he watches Takeru undress.

"Souichirou," Takeru says reverently, lips grazing the side of his neck, guiding him down until his back is pressed on the mattress. Then he pushes up, grabs his pants from the floor and digs in the pocket until his hand resurfaces with a couple of plastic packets which Souichirou immediately recognizes as a condom and a sachet of lubricant. In a softer voice, Takeru says, "I would've wanted this to happen in a more romantic way," eyes brimming with sincerity that something breaks inside Souichirou. "I'm sorry we have to do it like this but—"

"It's okay," Souichirou says, pressing his lips against Takeru's. He can feel Takeru's hand wandering down his sides, slipping over his butt cheek and along his tailbone until he feels a finger there, caressing, tracing the ring of muscle and – _Oh. Ooh._ Souichirou doesn't notice – almost – that split second moment when the finger leaves his skin only to return wet and cold and... and Takeru pushes inside and—

"Ungh. Takeru." Souichirou's hips leave the bed, feet digging on the mattress, his toes curling as he feels Takeru's finger slides in and out of him. After a while, Takeru adds another finger and Souichirou can feel the digits moving like scissors, stretching him and… and it should feel weird but it doesn't. 

"You okay?" Takeru asks, voice already husky and eyes darkening. Souichirou is gone too far to even form a word so he nods instead, his eyes falling close. "I'll add another." And he feels Takeru's fingers pull out only to slide back in with three this time. And he feels the tips curling, as if searching, until they brush against something that made his whole body tingle and his cock jump and his eyes fly open. Takeru grins down at him, says, "Found it," and continues to fuck him with his fingers.

"Takeru. Please," slips past his lips and Souichirou doesn't even know what he's begging for, but he needs more. He needs more of Takeru.

"Damn, Souichirou, I…" Takeru bites down on a spot where his neck meets his shoulder, prompting Souichirou to dig his fingernails against Takeru's back, then Takeru licks the battered spot as if apologizing for the pain. "I… I can't hold back."

Souichirou knows he's also at the point of no return so he curls his hand around Takeru's neck and says, "Do it," cursing internally when Takeru's fingers abandon him then nearly screams when not long after, Takeru's cock slides into him in an agonizingly slow pace. 

"You okay?" Takeru asks, concern evident in his tone. 

And _Fuck!_ , he's so not okay. It hurts and its utterly uncomfortable, but there's no way he can ask Takeru to stop, so Souichirou says, "Just… just give me a minute," and wills himself to fucking relax. He can sense Takeru struggling, can feel his hips stuttering, so Souichirou says, "Move," hoping that he's ready for the assault.

Takeru starts out slow, hips moving in an almost cautious pace, until Souichirou deems that the sluggish movement is more likely to kill him so he snaps his hips to meet Takeru's and says, "Faster, harder" so Takeru obliges, pulling out slowly then drives his cock into Souichirou like he means business. 

Souichirou can't believe this is happening. First the kiss, and now this. 

His eyes slip close but then Takeru says, "Keep your eyes open," and presses his lips on Souichirou's temple. "Look at me."

So Souichirou does and the sultry and ravenous look he's met with unravels something inside him. "Shit," he cries out as he feels pressure building up in his groin and almost screams when Takeru wraps a hand around his erection. He can feel Takeru's cock prodding his prostate and it sends him to the edge and he's coming. 

Takeru moves faster, hips rocking in a steady motion, then Takeru dives in and locks lips with him before Takeru's whole body seizes, then he slumps on to of Souichirou. 

It's strange how Souichirou doesn't find that annoying – the sweat, Takeru's weight on him. Instead, he feels relieved, so he coils an arm around Takeru, fingers playing with the strands of hair that fall over his nape.

But then the moment shatters when Takeru says, "We have a lot to talk about," against his neck. That's when Souichirou realizes that Takeru didn't do this because their lives are on the line. He didn't doing this for the mission's sake. 

*

It's been a week since they've infiltrated that club and they've been able to gather enough evidence to get the person running it arrested. Apparently the mastermind is a well-respected businessman so.

"If we hadn't investigated him, he would've gotten away with it," Funasaka says, marking the case as closed. "Well, you and Sena did a good job. Now he's been prosecuted."

"Speaking of which," Haruka pipes in. "Where is Sena-kun?"

Takeru's heart breaks a little. He's hoping after what happened between him and Souichirou, they can bridge whatever gap is left so they can move forward together. But.

"He's still on vacation. He'll probably be gone for a month," Rin says, eyes straying over to Takeru. She's been asking him, hounding him more likely, about what exactly happened in the club but Takeru and Souichirou have agreed to leave _that_ part out. 

Then Souichirou decides to disappear. Well, disappear is probably too somber of a word to use. But. No one will tell Takeru where he'd gone. It's as if, he's deliberately avoiding him at all costs. 

When two weeks roll by and there is still no word from Souichirou, Takeru takes the liberty to drop by Senars only to learn that Abigail has been made officially in charge of the company. She claims she has no clue where Souichirou is.

"Damn it!" Takeru hurls something across the room. Only when it rolls on the floor did he realize it's the stress ball that Souichirou has given him weeks ago – before that space mission – way before Takeru had kissed him. He wonders if that's the trigger, that's what caused everything to go downhill. But Takeru doesn't regret it. He's done everything – almost – to drill into Souichirou's head that he… that he—

"I'm guessing he's not back yet." Mythos voice cuts through his rumination. 

An idea suddenly clicks in Takeru's head. "Jirou. Will you help me find him? Get a trace of his credit card activities or travel information or anything that can tell me where he is?"

Mythos looks at him with pity then he shakes his head, says, "Sorry. No can do. You do realize tapping into his private information without necessary authorization will make me criminally liable?" and migrates into the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing a bottle of cold tea.

"I can authorize it," Takeru says, leaning against the wall, eyes still on Mythos.

"You're not in the position to authorize such tasks," Mythos says and takes a swig of the light brown beverage.

"You hacked into the club's system when I asked you to. You've hacked into almost anything since I took you in," Takeru points out, which, he belatedly realizes, all of which were crime-related incidents.

"Under Yamabuki-san's orders." Mythos watches him, not condescendingly but more like sympathetically. "Takeru," he says in a cautious manner. He's never addressed Takeru by first name or even by his last name. It's been only 'hey' or 'you' and… and it sounds kind of nice to hear him say it, even if he foregoes honorifics. "Don't you think—I mean, maybe, just maybe Sena-san doesn't want you to find him?"

That thought has actually crossed Takeru's mind but he refuses to believe it and with Mythos throwing it on his face somehow cuts through his heart.

"I'm going to bed," Mythos says then walks past him until he hears the telltale sound of a door closing. Since Hayashida has been pulled out as Mythos' 24-hour guard, Takeru has half-expected the kid will escape from under his nose. But he hasn't attempted anything crazy. In fact, it seems he's more at home now and acts like a know-it-all younger brother. 

Mythos' words haunt Takeru all night that he barely gets any sleep. So when he stumbles into Unit 8's headquarters the next morning, he thinks he's imagining things when he hears Emilia's voice at what seems to be the tail end of a conversation.

"Yes. I'll work on it. Thank you, Sena-san." The name prompts Takeru to glide into the office just as Emilia is saying, "Don't worry, I won't tell Kuro—" Her lips stop moving as soon as she spots him, her eyes widening. "Um… I have to go."

Takeru bursts into action, almost leaping over the table to reach Emilia, saying, "No, wait, is that—" but her hand drops, phone still in her grip. "Was that Sena?"

The internal panic going through Emilia's head is visible through her eyes as she stutters, "No. O-of course not!"

The fact that she's clearly lying ignites Takeru's ire that he yells, "Don't lie to me!" causing her to cower, not in fear – no, Emilia is braver than she looks – but more like in guilt.

"Kuroki-kun." Yamabuki is standing by her office's door with an unreadable expression. "I'd like a word with you."

Takeru debates whether to apologize to Emilia but files it away in his head to do it later because there is a palpable urgency in Rin's tone that nudges at his curiosity. Rin closes the door as soon as Takeru steps in and it's like déjà vu when he finds Funasaka inside. 

"What's going on?" falls from his lips before either of the other occupants can breathe a word. 

Rin spreads out several papers on her desk. The somber look she's wearing doesn't sit well with Takeru and he's thrown into a whirlwind of confusion when he sees the pictures of a well-respected senator attached to the pile. "The businessman we caught…," Rin says with a faint sign of weariness in her voice, "…claims that there is a mastermind behind the remote willwear case."

And that's how it all spirals down to needing to investigate Senator Akazawa, which may turn out to be a fuck-tastic disaster because the senator is known for all the good deeds he's done. Now if they're to accuse him of being involved in an unauthorized use of remote willwears – which has done nothing but destroy properties, some of which he has supposedly helped build—

 _Now wait a minute…_ Takeru suddenly has a light bulb moment. "Do you guys think this is some sort of an insurance scam?"

"We do," is all Funasaka says and that's how Takeru ends up volunteering to attend the party the senator is hosting – alone – so he can investigate on him.

*

Another minor task done and Souichirou manages to complete his current mission. It only involves a group of students who have been tampering with damaged willwears that have not been properly disposed and selling them to people who aren't authorized to use willwears once repaired. This has led to willwears malfunctioning and users getting injured. 

Well, Souichirou is done cleaning up, has sent those students to the proper authorities who deal with minors and has confiscated all willwears that have been sold. It has taken him more than three weeks, longer than he has planned, but it all worked out well, thanks to Marimo and Emilia's help. He just needs to send in his last report and he can go back to Senars. 

But.

There's this inkling in the pit of his stomach that something is wrong. He can't get a hold of Emilia or Marimo or even their boss, Rin, for that matter. Heading over to Unit 8 headquarters is something he wants to avoid at all cost. He doesn't have to, really. He has sent the report, they'll contact him if they have anything else to clarify. They usually don't, contact him, that is. But not hearing from anyone at the moment is sending him to the edge somehow. 

Souichirou tries to call again, and relief flickers in him when he hears Emilia's voice. "Sena-san, I—I'm sorry, I can't talk right now. I will call you back later," is all she says before the line goes dead. 

_That's it._ He swallows his pride, arms himself with all the impassivity he needs in case he runs into Takeru, and drives over to Unit 8 office.

When he steps into the floor occupied by their unit though, he's met with a tension so thick he can hardly breathe in it. Everyone seems to be focused at the holographic map. Rin's talking, saying, "Drones have detected he's being held at this area," but then her eyes catches Souichirou's. "Sena-kun. I wasn't expecting you here."

That didn't sound welcoming at all, but Souichirou lets it slide and says, "I just came to check if you've received my report since you haven't acknowledged."

"Oh, I have, thank you," Rin says and the 'you can go now' part is left unsaid but Souichirou can practically hear it. 

His eyes scan the room and he immediately notices one person missing. "Where's Kuroki?" And when the rest of the Unit 8 team members exchange glances, Souichirou is struck with the fact that there is something wrong indeed. "What's going on?"

Haruka is the one who breaks the ice, says, "Kuroki-san is in trouble," and Rin proceeds to explain how they've sent Takeru to a mission where he's been caught and is now being held captive. 

"You sent him on his own? Without a back up?" Souichirou doesn't understand the emotions flooding his chest right now, doesn't fathom why he's suddenly trembling. All he knows is there is a massive tightening somewhere in his thoracic region. 

The authoritative look resting on Rin's face melts and now she seems fatigued and worried. "We already have a rescue mission planned," Rin says as if it's her way of assuring Souichirou that everything is going to be just fine. 

"I want in on it." Once everything is laid out in front of him, Souichirou insists that he'll be the one to rescue Takeru. 

The next day, he finds himself sneaking into Senator Akazawa's estate. The plan is going smoothly, seems flawless to begin with. Mythos has already hacked into the security system and has disabled any alarms that Souichirou will most likely encounter. 

So he gets to the second landing, knocks out the two men standing guard outside the room where Takeru is being held and retrieves his comrade. What he didn't expect is to see Takeru so battered up, like he's been tortured, but at least he's still in one piece. Getting him out becomes a challenge. He's more unconscious than conscious, mumbling incoherently. 

What Souichirou catches though is Takeru saying, "I missed you Sou, I love you" that he gets so distracted he doesn't notice a man – an estate guard, he presumes – rounding a corner just as they are slipping past the back entrance near the wall where Funasaka is waiting. His brain shuts off for a moment, enough time to give the man a chance to draw his gun and shoot at them, the bullet flying straight through Kuroki's left shoulder. 

Souichirou is a second too late – a fucking second too late – to raise his weapon and shoots at the man. At least his sharp shooting skills come in second nature that he manages to disarm the man and disable his legs. Funasaka works fast in getting them out of there.

Takeru is rushed to the hospital. Souichirou is so out of it he doesn't even notice Rin ushering him to the van and he mindlessly change out of his willwear while the van moves presumably bound to the hospital where they're taking Takeru.

His teammates, Rin included, are ushered into a waiting room but Souichirou doesn't want to be there. He wants to be closer where they've taken Takeru, wants to know first hand if he'll… if he'll live. So he forces his way through the first double door, and the next, until a nurse or whatever hospital staff she is stops him, says, "I'm sorry, unless you're a close relative, you're not allowed in here. Stay at the waiting room with your colleagues."

"But I'm—" Souichirou blurts out and he's suddenly not sure what to say. He doesn't care about any freaking hospital rules right now. He just wants to stay here, right outside the operating room, so he draws in a breath and says, "I'm his boyfriend." The nurse watches him, skepticism clear in her eyes. Just as she opens her mouth, perhaps to tell him that boyfriends aren't allowed in the area either, so Souichirou cuts her off, says, "Please. I just need to be here."

The woman then nods and leaves him alone. 

It takes hours – four, five maybe, or six, he's lost count – before someone ambles out of the room to tell him that Takeru is going to make it. Souichirou is flooded with relief when he hears Takeru's alive. He has a few broken ribs, a mild concussion, and the bullet wound on his shoulder, but he's expected to recover and that's all that matters.

Mythos is the one who greets him when he glides into the waiting room, worry evident on his face. "How is he?"

"He's going to be fine," he says and at least it's not a lie, but he still hopes it's as true as it sounds.

Takeru is placed in the Intensive Care Unit for the rest of the day, so he has no choice but to go home and take Mythos with him. 

"What would you like for dinner?" he asks Mythos although he's not really in the mood to cook or prepare anything.

Mythos says, "Not hungry," so Souichirou should just drop the idea of having anything to eat, but he doesn't.

"So am I. But we need to eat something if we are to return to the hospital tomorrow. How 'bout we just have some rice bowls delivered?" Souichirou fishes out his phone and starts going through his contacts, internally grumbling why he ends up babysitting this teenager with an issue again. 

Mythos shrugs. "Fine by me."

After he's done calling the nearby restaurant, Souichirou slips the phone back in his pocket and intends to head for his bedroom but before he can take a step, he hears Mythos say, "Do you know he's in love with you?" that his legs cease to move. "He's bee heartbroken when he realizes you're running away from him. Again. That's why he accepted the mission. To get you off his mind, even for a while."

Souichirou's defenses are triggered. "What is this, Mythos? Are you throwing me into some kind of guilt trip?"

"No," Mythos says, shaking his head. "I just wanted you to know how he feels about you because he's too damn of an idiot to tell you himself."

Souichirou can't agree more. He drops next to Mythos on the couch, leans his head against the headrest and says, "You're right. He's an idiot."

Silence spirals around them for a while, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Then Souichirou lifts his head, glances at Mythos and asks, "Aren't you going to ask me how I feel about him?"

Mythos looks at him askance. "I don't think I need to. And I don't particularly care. You're adults. You should talk about this, not run way like some love sick high schoolers." 

Well, Mythos has a point. But there's still Souichirou's fear. "It's not going to work out, you know. Me and him."

"How would you know unless you try?" Mythos' words will clearly haunt him for the rest of the night. 

Dinner is uneventful; they're too tired to talk anymore. After they clean up and clear the kitchen, he retires to his bedroom while Mythos settles on the couch.

*

It happens slowly, like a trickle of water from a bamboo pipe on a fountain. Every inch of his body is being drawn out of its catatonic state. When his eyes finally flutter open, the first thing he sees through bleary vision is a mop of ash gray hair. 

"You're awake," says a familiar voice and Mythos is soon leaning over him. His eyes skip to the sleeping gray-haired whose head is resting on a pair of arms propped on the edge of the bed. "He's been here since early morning, hasn't moved from that spot. He didn't even have lunch."

"How 'bout you? Weren't you worried about me?" is what Takeru manages to croak out. His throat feels like sandpaper.

One corner of Mythos' mouth curls up. "Not as worried as he's been," he says, gesturing at Souichirou with his head. 

Souichirou stirs, lifting his head, gaze immediately on Takeru. His eyes widen comically and he springs from the chair, says, "You're awake," and hovers above him for a while before pulling back. "You. You scared the shit out of me. How can you be so… so reckless?" like he's on the verge of crying or something.

"I'll be outside," Mythos says, giving him a salute before gliding out the door.

"Calm down, Sou," he tries to say but Souichirou continues so sputter out a string of lecture that starts to sound muffled in Takeru's ears. He must still be on pain killers and it's making his head feel like they're made of cotton and his whole body made of rubber. His throat is starting to burn. "Water, please," he says, almost inaudibly.

Souichirou stops yapping though, blinks and says, "Oh, of course. Hold on." He ambles towards the corner and Takeru can't really see what he's doing but he comes back with a glass of water and a straw floating inside. Souichirou guides the tip of the straw to his lips. "Slowly now, okay?"

Takeru takes a sip and feels the divine liquid sliding down his throat. "Thanks," he says and waits for Souichirou to settle back down on the chair next to his bed. "I'm sorry."

The stolid mask Souichirou's wearing crumbles and his expression softens. "No, Kuroki. I'm… I'm sorry." His gaze falls on his lap and his shoulders rise and fall as he takes in a deep breath. He clears his throat, says, "Mythos told me you took the mission despite the risk just to take your mind off me," while his eyes stray over the bed, clearly avoiding Takeru's. 

"Don't be self-centered," Takeru says and he coughs because something is caught in his throat, prompting Souichirou to grab the glass of water and offer it to him. He takes a few more sips before deeming that his throat isn't about to crack open. "You make a good nurse," he says in jest earning him a smack on his shoulder, which is apparently the injured one because it hurts like a bitch. "Ow!"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Souichirou caresses the spot where he had struck. Then he leans over and plants a kiss on it. All the haze that's left swirling in Takeru's head leaves him in an instant. When Souichirou raises his head, their eyes lock and Takeru can sense the strong pull that draws Souichirou closer until their lips meet. 

_Oh, dear heavens._ If this is just a product of Takeru's morphine-induced brain, then he's all for getting addicted. 

The moment is shattered though when Souichirou backs away and scrunches his nose. "That was a bad idea. Your breath's terrible after being out for almost two days.

"Asshole," is what Takeru throws at Souichirou, a smile teasing at his lips. 

Apparently he stays at the hospital for a week more. The doctors have done thorough testing to make sure he's well on his way to recovery. 

"Do you live with someone who can look after you?" his head doctor asks before signing the release papers.

And Mythos is all, "I can't take care of him on my own," so Souichirou ends up volunteering to check on him every now and then.

Well, not until a day later when Takeru stubs a toe and falls off the bed while trying to reach for his phone which has tumbled on the floor that Souichirou decides to move in – temporarily – so he can keep an eye on Takeru.

"Let me help," Takeru says when he wanders into the kitchen and Souichirou is preparing lunch. The only response he gets is a warning glare. "Look, Sena. It's not like my hands are injured. I can still cut vegetables, you know."

"Well, it's more like I know you're going to hurt your hand and I don't want you adding more to your injury which can potentially make your recovery take longer than necessary," Souichirou says, slapping his hands away from the chopping board.

Takeru grumbles. "I can't tell if you're trying to pamper me or insult me." He hears Mythos snort from the kitchen table but Takeru ignores him in favor of watching Souichirou move around in his kitchen. He's so fluid and graceful like… like he belongs there. His heart stutters at the thought.

Something light strikes him on the forehead and Takeru catches sight of a rolled up paper landing on the floor and rolling away from him. He looks up to see Mythos staring at him then he's gesturing at Souichirou with his head as if saying, _Tell him now. Do it!_ But no. Takeru can't possibly ruin the moment. 

*

Three days in and Souichirou has learned to forego knocking. He just barges into Takeru's room to check on the stubborn man. He has barely caught him trying to do push ups the other day, the tapping on the door has alerted the lazy boor and has given him enough time to get off the floor. He was halfway on his feet when Souichirou found him, guilt flashing on his face.

So no more knocking and instead, Souichirou breezes in unannounced only to witness Takeru struggling to get his shirt on. "Still hurts?" he asks, gliding towards his colleague and… maybe now a friend, to help him. 

"Yeah." Takeru's breathing hitches when he lifts his arm and he mutters, "Fuck," before surrendering the shirt to Souichirou. "Whenever I do something to stretch the muscles on my shoulder, it smarts like a bitch."

"You say that after attempting to do some push ups?" Souichirou guides the sleeve of the shirt up Takeru's arm, trying to ignore the corded biceps or the warmth of Takeru's skin. The shirt's material is soft and stretchable enough that he doesn't need to pull hard to get the neckline through Takeru's head. 

"Yeah. That was stupid. I thought if I can get used to the pain—Ow!" Takeru cries out when he tugs the shirt roughly down his torso. 

"You want to get used to the pain? Just let me know. I can help you with that." It's like babysitting an oversized infant, really. For some reason though, Souichirou doesn't mind. He strides over to the bureau where Takeru's medications are lined up and checks if he has taken the proper dosages for the day. "You haven't taken your second dosage of antibiotics yet," he says, noticing a pill sitting in the pill box labeled with today's date. 

"I was about to." Takeru is suddenly behind him, breath ghosting at the back of his head. He's caged in Takeru's arms when he reaches for the pill with one hand and grabs the bottle of water sitting on the opposite end of the bureau with the other. With a side glance, he watches Takeru pop the pill in his mouth and take a swig of the water. Once done, Takeru doesn't bother to take a step back. Instead, he glides further into Souichirou's bubble. "Why don't you sleep in here tonight? I'm pretty sure the couch is starting to feel uncomfortable by now."

 _Shit._ This is what he's dreading. This is what he should be avoiding, so he says, "I—I can't," but then he feels Takeru's hand – warm and calloused – cupping the back of his neck, thumb rubbing circles on a spot, easing away the anxiety and uncertainty that's clouding his mind.

"We're just going to sleep, Sou. We're not going to do anything," Takeru says reassuringly.

Throwing caution to the wind, Souichirou nods, says, "Okay," and allows Takeru to lead him to the bed. 

The next morning, he pads into the kitchen. Mythos greets him with a wide grin splitting his face. 

"Nothing happened, we just slept," Souichirou says, belatedly realizing how defensive he sounds. "I'll be checking in on Senars for a while. Will you be alright looking after him by yourself?"

Mythos shakes his head while taking a sip of what Souichirou presumes is coffee. "I have school. I have this one week trial thing, remember?"

"Oh. Right." The system is trying to encourage Mythos to attend school like a normal teenager so they're giving him a week to see if it will work out, even provided him a uniform so he will fit in. "I'm sure you'll do well. Why don't you start getting ready for school? I'll prepare a proper breakfast and fix you some lunch."

There's a hint of embarrassment in Mythos' tone when he says, "You don't have to," that Souichirou finds endearing.

Souichirou doesn't fight the smile that tugs on his lips. "I want to. Now go get ready."

Mythos rises from the chair like he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Then he mumbles, "Thanks, Mom," as he walks past him. 

The knowledge that Takeru is left alone doesn't sit well with him though. So he spends most of the morning at the office calling Takeru and sending him text messages. Some time after lunch, Abigail snatches the phone from his hand, pushes the gadget into his pant pocket and ushers him out of his office, saying, "Go home to your husband, you dick face."

The apartment is eerily quiet when he steps in. He's slipping his shoes off at the entryway when he hears a loud thud. Panic fills his chest as he rushes to Takeru's room but the lazy boor isn't there. The sound of running water prompts him to dash over to the bathroom. He storms in to find Takeru bent over, bare ass in the air, hands clutching the toiletries rack that's lying on the floor. Takeru shifts his head enough to glance at Souichirou, says, "Oh," then straightens up, his lips stretching into a shit eating grin. "Welcome home."

"I…" Souichirou tries not to stare at Takeru's flaccid cock but – _Oh hell!_ – his eyes are betraying him. "I heard something fall."

"Oh, I knocked off the rack," Takeru says calmly like standing in front of him fully naked is a natural thing. 

"Do you…" Oh man, why are his eyes drawn to that part of Takeru's body? "Do you need help? With bathing, I mean."

"Please?" Takeru looks like a dog begging for a treat, like seriously. "Can you help me wash my back? And maybe shampoo my hair?"

"Sure, let me just…" He really should stop glancing down south. "Let me change out of my suit."

With a plain shirt and sweatpants on, he saunters back to the bathroom. Takeru is in the tub which is filled with water up to his waist. He has taken off the bandage supporting his torso. Souichirou lathers up a wash cloth and runs it down the expanse of Takeru's back, careful not to get the dressing over Takeru's shoulder wound wet. He'll need to change it later though. 

Once he's done washing and drying Takeru's hair, Souichirou moves to leave but the grip on his wrist holds him on the spot. 

"Souichirou , I…" Takeru says, crimson eyes devoid of mirth. He rarely looks serious and this is one of the moments that Souichirou melts under that intense gaze. "I've been meaning to talk to you. About the kiss. About what happened at the club that night. About—"

Souichirou presses a finger on Takeru's lips. "I don't think this is the appropriate place to discuss anything. Get dressed and we'll talk. I promise."

This is it. Time to stop running away.

*

So it doesn't end up in disaster as Takeru has feared. They settle on the couch and Takeru takes Mythos advice not to beat around the bush, so he says, "Look, Sou, I'm attracted to you. I like you, and I've been dancing around this issue for the past year, I…"

"I know," escapes Souichirou's lips, so inaudible that Takeru almost misses it. "I feel the same. I guess that's why I insisted on establishing Senars. I…" Souichirou sighs, blue eyes sliding to meet his gaze. "I needed an excuse to escape Unit Eight. To escape you. Because even before then, I knew I was drawn to you."

As soon as the cat is out of the bag, they agree to start dating, see where this takes them. Then Mythos saunters in with Hayashida in tow and the atmosphere changes almost instantly. Hayashida doesn't linger, only tells Mythos he'll be back tomorrow to pick him up. Then he bows at them before stepping outside.

"How's school?" Takeru asks, hoping he'll hear some good news.

Mythos shrugs nonchalantly then scratches at the skin under the GPS bracelet around his wrist. Thank goodness, the director has helped them get approval of switching Mythos' tracker from a collar to a wrist bracelet. "It's okay. Weird, but okay." 

Takeru moves farther from Souichirou, taps at the space between them with his hand in silent invitation and says, "Weird in what way?"

Without a hint of hesitation, Mythos plops down on the vacant spot, draws in a breath and exhales loudly. Then he launches into a clipped version of his day in school, which is unusual since Mythos likes to keep to himself most of the time. But Takeru thinks – hopes – that maybe… maybe he's taking Mythos to the right direction.

Souichiro springs up from the couch, says, "I'll start on dinner," after Mythos is done complaining about egotistic seniors and ignorant teachers. 

"Let me help this time?" Takeru tries, already expecting to be berated.

But then Souichirou says, "Alright. Just try not to cut your fingers," that has Takeru scrambling after him. 

One week later, he's back at the doctor's clinic for a check-up. His ribs and bullet wound are still healing, so he's not allowed to do any strenuous activities just yet, sex included, which is fine since he and Souichirou have agreed to take things slow after practically jumping into bed together. That also means, he's down to paper work at the office. He's totally banned from field work. He tries sneaking into his willwear once only to have the scanners screaming _code red_ with scarlet lights flashing around him. He gets an earful from Rin. And a worse one from Souichirou.

Since there aren't many missions, Takeru spends most of his time at Senars watching Souichirou work. He still doesn't get how a person can be so dedicated in cleaning up everyone's trash but…. Oh well, it's that passion for what Souichirou does that makes Takeru fall for him even more.

Dating Souichirou isn't as complicated as Miho once made it seem. He's still a little reluctant at expressing himself but Takeru is becoming an expert in prying him open. Figuratively. And they've gotten past the awkward stage so when Takeru takes Souichirou's hand while they're in public, Souichirou doesn't pull away like he's burned anymore.

So they walk hand in hand into the restaurant where they're supposed to meet Madoka for lunch when they run into Miho of all people. Her eyes fall on their clasped hands. Then she shoots daggers at Takeru. Seriously, if looks can kill, he'll probably be lying dead on the ground by now. 

"Miho. Hi. H-how's it going?" Souichirou says but she doesn't spare them another glance, doesn't utter a word. She just walks past them like they don't exist.

"I wonder what's gotten her so upset," Takeru says, trying to hold back the grin that's threatening to split his face. 

"Oh, shush." Souichirou tugs at his arm – the uninjured side, thankfully – then drags him inside the building. 

Takeru hasn't forgotten the promise he's made to Mythos before he went off on that space mission. He's been working neck and neck with Hayashida and Madoka to find his little sister and they've been getting more leads.

When Madoka tells him that, "We found her," he feels his chest is close to imploding. "She been adopted by a family in America who is nice enough to allow us to come and visit. It's getting her back to Japan that might prove to be a challenge. There are so many obstacles we have to face. Luckily, I have established enough connections to break it down in half."

"Thanks Madoka. This means so much." Takeru foregoes taking her hands or hugging her. Souichirou can be feisty when jealous. "How soon can we go see her?"

"Give me a month at least. Maybe two," Madoka says. "I'll prepare all necessary documents and passes for you, me, Nobujirou and Hayashida-san."

"I'm coming, too," Souichirou blurts out. "I want to go with you." The sincerity in Souichirou's eyes makes Takeru's heart swell. 

Takeru curls his hand around Souichirou's, giving him a light squeeze. "Thank you."

Everything will work out fine. At least that's what Takeru believes. He's been through hell and back, but he's still on his feet, so he knows that like him, everyone can have a happy ending.

.  
.  
.  
_**Owari**_


End file.
